Heather Towns by Amber

This International Women’s Day I’m paying tribute to my first boss in the design industry. Heather Towns had an agency in Melbourne for over 30 years and was a leading figure in the Australian design community. I joined her team in Fitzroy in 1998 as a graduate designer fresh out of Uni and it was my first experience working in a professional environment with exposure to high profile clients and sophisticated processes. Heather was tough but fair in her approach to teaching emerging designers, many of her foundation principles and philosophies have shaped how I approach my work and business today. I’m grateful to Heather for teaching me to think big,  not compromise on quality and value client relationships.

Maria Ressa by Brian

Maria Ressa is an esteemed journalist and Nobel Peace laureate. She founded Rappler, a respected news website based in the Philippines. Despite facing all kinds of threats and harassment, Maria has continued to fearlessly report on government corruption and abuses of power. Her bravery and dedication to keeping the public informed have earned her all kinds of awards, including Time Magazine’s Person of the Year in 2018. Maria’s integrity and bravery are admirable, and her work serves as a model for journalists around the world.

Pip O’Connor by Matt

Since moving to Australia in 2012 I’ve had the privilege of getting to really know my Auntie over the past 10 years. A traveller, educator, mother and anchor for all in her extended family, Pip has that rarest of gifts of possessing endless time to listen and care for others. Her empathy, compassion and innate desire to help others shined through her career and continues to illuminate her life. A moral compass that never wavers from true north and a ferocious passion for life, I’ll be forever grateful for her guidance, understanding and joy at our family gatherings.

Karla Dawes by Liz

After years working for others in PR, my mate Karla decided to go out on her own in 2016, moving into a tiny shopfront in the city with one staff member and three clients. Seven years later, she’s made a name for herself in the hospitality scene and while her business, KDPO, has gone from strength to strength, she retains the same passion and humility that she began with — what drew me to her as a friend. I’m constantly in awe of all she manages to pack into her life, including spawning a couple of the cutest kids going around.

Hannah Ferguson by Caitlin

Hannah is one of the founders of progressive media company, Cheek Media Co. Her millenial, honest take on Australian and international news is an accessible lens on political, feminist and social topics within our society. Not afraid of being called out or learning from her readers, she opens up conversations and provides a two-way communication on educating for a better, more open world. Not bad for a 20-something year old!

Barbara Bolt by Marina

I have been very inspired by professor Barbara Bolt. She is an artist and an art theorist, whose publications and lectures played key roles in understanding my own art practice. I was very lucky to meet her in person and talk about artworks in my graduate exhibition last year. What an inspirational woman!

Isla & Georgia Wren by Steve

I’m clearly not qualified or necessarily equipped to be raising women, it’s a scenario and a challenge that I never really considered. But being hyper aware of the challenges, inequities and cultural bullshit they’ll need to navigate day to day, and trying to be as present, helpful and ‘non-bumbling dadding’ as possible is a challenge I’m happily taking on. Yes this was all about me, not them… but look at them, they’re just too cute.

HAIM by Viv

I might be cheating by actually nominating 3 women – but recently I got to see one of my favourite bands live. HAIM are a rock band of 3 sisters from California. I was literally awestruck by their talent and creativity and it motivated me to tentatively start playing music again. They are all multi-instrumentalists, songwriters, vocalists and they even dance. They’re true rockstars.

Philippa Beeston by Niki

At 79 years my Mum is still a force to be reckoned with, she is a strong, determined woman who has always been a driving force in my life. From an early age, she instilled in me the importance of education, her mantra – ‘Education allows you choices in life’. Having worked for the ABC for over 15 years, she has been an advocate for equality and has raised her children with these same values.  Not letting breast cancer get the better of her, she has an active social life, greater than most people I know, her energy continues to astound me.

Pania Preston by Miles

My rock for the last (almost) 4 years. Always full of kindness, care and love sprinkled with a hefty dose of grit, determination and courage.

Daphne Oram by Andy

Sound designer and composer – Daphne along with colleague Delia Derbyshire worked in the ground-breaking BBC’s Radiophonic Workshop in the 1960s. She and her colleagues were pioneers of electronic music and gave to the world a form of music that inspired and challenged — think of the hypnotic Dr Who opening title music and you have a sample.
 
Daphne was born in time where women were career shunned (around the same age as my 100 year old Gran). I think how dogged Daphne had to be at the time, when the norm was to marry off our women, like my Gran, putting any dreams or potential world breaking thinking, to possibly never be realised. Bless Daphne and her passions, it led the way for many people to witness and act on.

Tania Axisa by Alannah

My mum Tania, is one of the most inspirational women I know! She grew up being raised by a widowed mother, who is another super woman in herself. She has raised 4 girls of her own, and constantly inspires myself and my sisters to be the best people that we possibly can be, and teaches us that nothing is ever out of reach.

Evonne Goolagong Cawleyby Mike

I have always been a lover of sport, and in sport who doesn't love the rise and success of someone up against it. What Evonne achieved in a time when indigenous people were so suppressed and unsupported is just amazing. And not only to achieve so much as an indigenous woman, but then to go on to win Wimbledon again as a mother - the first in 60 years at the time, when women with children were 'meant to be at home', I find exceptionally inspiring.

Since 2018, we have chosen to support the community service of Fitted for Work, making monetary donations to the cause each International Women's Day. Fitted for Work is a non-for-profit employment organisation helping women build skills and develop confidence to achieve meaningful work.
 
To learn about the great work they are doing visit fittedforwork.org